'Hedgehog care homes' to be installed next to Old Kent Road logistics hub
Two miniature 'hedgehog care homes' are among the biodiversity measures proposed for the new logistics hub being built by British Land on the former Southwark Council car pound site off Mandela Way.
The 'hedgehog care homes' will be part of an 'ecological corridor' that will separate the development to the north from the gardens of Marcia Road homes to the south.
Developer British Land announced this week that it has teamed up with McLaren Construction for the new logistics hub.
The ground floor will access for a variety of distribution vehicles, including HGVs and cargo bikes, while the building is served by 5 goods lifts, a further 3 lifts for cycles and cargo bikes and 6 passenger lifts.
"We are seeing a new generation of clever industrial buildings that stack light industrial, warehouse and distribution space to keep a broader range of jobs in urban areas and serve demand for last-mile distribution space," said David Gavin, managing director for industrial and logistics at McLaren.
"If there’s one thing they have in common, it’s that they maximise their use of tight urban sites, requiring ingenuity and careful planning for the plant and materials we need for construction.”
Lewis Huntington, development manager at British Land, said: “This multi-storey urban logistics scheme is the first of its kind in central London and has market leading sustainability credentials.”
Ecological measures include rooftop solar panels, a grey water system and the proposed 'ecological corridor' with hedgehog houses and bug hotels.
Documents submitted to Southwark Council this month to discharge a planning condition give details of the wildlife-friendly proposals.
The 'hedgehog care home' is a £65 product made from recycled plastic and timber, designed to provide a safe space for hedgehogs, whilst its swivelling lid provides easy human access for care, cleaning and feeding. It is said to be big enough for an adult hedgehog and her hoglets.
A recent meeting of Southwark's Environment Scrutiny Commission heard evidence from the Southwark Nature Action Volunteers group that the Old Kent Road forms a significant barrier for the movement of wildlife around the borough.
